Life's Never That Easy
by abbyl
Summary: LukaAbbyJoe story. Bit of drama,romance,comedy,everything! Chapter Three is up!
1. Rough Day At Work

A Luka/Abby/Joe story. Weaver is still ER chief. Joe is 9 months old now.

**Life's Never That Easy**

**Chapter One - Rough Day At Work**

"Come on Joe, eat some breakfast baby, Mummy's got to go to work and they won't be very happy if she's late again this week" Abby pleaded with her son as he sat in his high chair with his mouth clamped shut.

"Whats the matter Joe? Do you not like it? You normally do, it's yummy banana porridge and its a big aeroplane coming in to land" Abby tried to play the aeroplane game which Joe normally loved, but nothing, not even a smile.

"Everything ok?" Abby jumped as Luka's voice came from behind her.

"Just the usual breakfast fight we've been having all week. Mind you yesterday it was breakfast, lunch and dinner. I think he might be coming down with something"

Luka felt Joes forehead. Ever since he had fought for his life in the NICU, Abby and Luka were very protective of their son.

"Feels ok. Just tell the nursery to keep an eye on him. Are you nearly ready to leave?"

"Yeah. I just have to change my trousers. Apparently they enjoyed the banana porridge!"

Luka smiled in sympathy and picked Joe out of his high chair.

"Hey buddy, you not feeling well? Luka threw him up into the air, but instead of the usual giggling that came with this game, Luka's shirt ended up covered in banana porridge.

"LUKA! How many more times do i have to tell you not to throw him like that after meals? Now he's thrown up the small amount of breakfast I'd got down him" Luka looked at Abby and saw how mad she was.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to cheer him up. We'll go change quickly, go and start the car"

"Be quick though, I can't afford another telling off from Weaver"

The rest of the journey to work was uneventful and Abby managed to drop Joe in daycare and be back down in the ER just in time, or so she thought.

"Abby, good to see you. We are getting slammed down here already, and you are five minutes late. Do you realise you could have discharged a patient in that time?" Weaver said.

"Sorry Kerry, Joe's being a nightmare in the mornings, I'll stay late tonight. Now what have we got?"

The morning passed quite quickly. There had been a big crash on the freeway which had brought in several trauma patients, and then there was the steady stream of cuts, vomiting, broken bones and other illnesses which kept the ER very busy.

"Oh man, I need a coffee" Abby groaned as she waved goodbye to a little boy from whose ear she had just removed a bead.

But there was no time for coffee as Abby heard a commotion in the waiting room. A man was throwing around chairs and shouting at Chuny and Haleh.

"Whats going on here?" Abby whispered to Chuny

"Guys gone crazy, he's been waiting for his head to be sutured but he keeps shouting for pain meds. Think he's a drug seeker"

"Wonderful. Hey Sir! Do you want to put that chair down and I'll suture your head?"

The man turned round and snarled at Abby. But he put the chair down and followed her into an exam room.

"So, Mr Davis, how did you cut your head?"

"None of your business lady, just get on with it"

"Ok, so not in the mood for small talk then? Alright, you're going to feel a few sharp scratches whilst I inject some anaesthetic around the cut"

Abby drew up some lidocaine and started to numb the area around the cut.

"Sir, you need to keep still or I might slip"

"You try having it done"

"You try having contractions, having a caesarian and losing a ton of blood. Now please, SIT STILL"

"Alright you crazy bitch, just get me something for the pain"

"I'm sorry sir, I won't tolerate this, you're going to have to wait until someone else is free"

Abby got up to leave the room but felt a hand around her neck.

"No bitch, you are going to stay here and deal with this NOW!"

Luka was walking down the corridor towards admin when he heard a commotion coming from one of the exam rooms. He stopped and knocked on the door.

"Is everything alright in here?"

Mr Davis let go of Abby and she ran to the door.

"Abby! Whats going on in here?" Luka said as Abby stood trembling beside him.

"Guy went crazy, wouldn't sit still, then when I refused to treat him until he calmed down he got me round the neck" Abby said quietly, whilst feeling her neck at the same time.

At that moment Mr Davis saw his escape route and ran down the corridor and out of the ER, shouting "This ain't over bitch! You'll regret this".

Luka watched as the security men took chase, and then looked back at Abby who looked quite pale.

"Here, come and sit down, let me take a look at your neck"

He led Abby over to the exam couch and examined her neck.

"Ow!"

"Sorry darling, it's a bit bruised, but not too bad. Did he hurt you anywhere else?"

"No, I'm fine, just a little shaken"

"I'm going to talk to Weaver, let you go home for the afternoon, spend some time with Joe"

"Honestly Luka, I'm fine"

"Let me be the prison guard of that"

"Judge, Luka. Let me be the judge of that" Abby had trouble hiding a smile.

"Whatever, stay here. I'll be right back"

Luka went and found Dr Weaver who at once agreed it was fine for Abby to go home. Abby went up to the nursery and picked up Joe, who was pleased to see him mummy.

"How's he been?"

"A little subdued, couldn't get any food into him, but he drank some water" Lola the nursery assistant told Abby.

"Ok, thanks. Come on then Joe, lets go home shall we?"

Abby decided as it was a nice afternoon, she would take a walk through the park with Joe. It was quiet there, nobody around which was unusual.

"What do they know that we don't Joe?" Abby chatted to her son as she pushed him in his pram.

All of a sudden, Abby felt a prescence behind her. She turned around and gasped.

"Mr Davis"

"Yeah, thats me bitch. You never finished stitching me up. You're going to finish the job right now"

"You're crazy, you need to go to an ER, I can't help you, I'm not at work anymore. Now please, leave us alone" Abby started to walk faster, wishing that she had taken the El.

Relieved that the guy had decided not to follow them, Abby began to relax again and started to sing to Joe. They reached the end of the park and Abby pushed Joe up the ramp onto the pavement next to the road.

"The wheels on the bus go round and round, all day long. Oh listen Joe, that sounds like a bus coming now! Oh, silly mummy, it's just a van"

The van pulled over and two men rushed out. Before she could react, Abby and Joe were thrown in the back of the van and the doors sealed behind them. Joe was crying in his push chair and Abby started to panic.

"Why us?" She cried out.

"I told you bitch, you need to fix me up"

It was that moment that Abby knew they were not alone, and that she and Joe were in grave danger.


	2. A Little Better

**Author's Note - **Thanks for all the reviews, sorry for the wait, been on holiday.

**Disclaimer -** I own nothing apart from my own characters.

**Life's Never That Easy**

**Chapter Two - A Little Better**

As the van started to speed along, Abby tried desperately to plead for their freedom.

"Look, please, let us go, you don't need us, please. My son, he's not well, please let me take him home" Abby looked at Mr Davis and pleaded with him to no avail.

"I don't think so. Does my head look fixed? Woah! What was that for?" He shouted to the man driving as the van swerved and accelerated.

"Police" The man replied.

Abby's heart leapt when she heard that. Somebody must have seen what had happened.

"Please, just stop. Let us out and I won't say a word. You're going to have to stop anyway so stop whilst I'm giving you a chance to go free" Abby pleaded once again. At this moment Joe bagan to scream in his pushchair. Abby tried desperately to calm him down as she was frightened at what might happen if he continued, but Joe was not responding.

"Come on Joe, come on baby, mummy's here, it's ok, you're going to be alright" Abby said quietly.

"For goodness sake, I can't take this noise anymore. SHAUN, PULL OVER!" Mr Davis shouted.

The van lurched to a halt and Abby was thrown from one side of the van to the other, banging her head in the process.

"OW! Shit! Oh it's ok Joe, mummy's ok, don't cry baby" Abby tried once again to soothe Joe as the van doors opened behind her and three policemen appeared.

"Oh thank God! Please help me" Abby cried.

"It's alright, we witnessed what happened as we were parked down the road from the park attending to another incident. Are you injured?" One of the policemen questioned Abby whilst the other two restrained Mr Davis and the driver.

"Uh no, I don't think so, I bumped my head when we stopped but it's ok"

"Ok, well the other police team have arrived and will take these men into custody. We will take you and your..."

"Oh, my son Joe"

"You and Joe to the local hospital just to get checked out, and will take a proper statement"

"Is that County? My husband and I both work there"

"Yes, we'll reunite you in a few minutes"

Abby thanked him and pulled Joe from his pushchair. She cuddled him close during the journey to County and talked to him which calmed them both down.

They arrived at the hospital after ten minutes and Abby lifted Joe out of the car and walked into the ER with the policemen.

"Abby, what are you doing back girl? You live here or something!" Haleh joked.

"Uh no Haleh, is Luka around, I really need to see him" Abby replied seriously.

"I'll go find him honey, take a seat in the lounge. You are ok aren't you?"

"Yeah, I am now. Thanks Haleh"

Abby watched as Haleh walked down the hall looking for Luka. She told the policeman she would talk to them as soon as she had seen her husband. Husband. Abby still had to pinch herself when she remembered that she was Dr Kovac's wife. He was such a rock, always had been, and the wonderful thing was that they had grown from such good friends into a rock solid couple. She honestly could not believe that one time in her life she was not worried about what anybody else thought. Now she had Luka and Joe to consider first, and she did not mind one bit.

"Abby, what are you doing here? Is it Joe?" Luka's voice burst through Abby's thoughts.

"Oh Luka, it was awful" Abby replied, close to tears as she recalled what had happened little more than an hour before. This was not the first time Abby had been abducted, and she was still very raw from the first time, though she did not like to show it.

"Oh my God, Abby are you alright? Is Joe ok?" Luka put his arm around Abby and held her close. He glanced at Joe who was sitting on Abby's lap, and checked him over quickly. He then put his hand on Abby's chin and lifted her face up so he could make sure she was ok. A nasty bruise was beginning to form on her forehead.

"Did he hit you?" Luka asked, his voice quivering with anger.

"No, I hit it when the van stopped. Luka, can we go home, I don't want to stay here" Abby looked at Luka.

"Let me talk to Kerry, I'm sure we can find cover"

Kerry agreed that Luka could leave with Abby for a couple of hours but that he had to return to finish his shift as the ER was busy as usual. Luka drove them all home after Abby had given her statement to the police. Joe fell asleep in his car seat and Luka managed to transfer him into his cot without waking him. Abby walked into their apartment and sat down on the couch. Luka sat beside her and put his arm around her.

"I'm going to have to go back to work soon. Are you going to be alright?" Luka asked gently, concern etched on his face.

"I guess. I would rather you stayed with us, but I understand" Abby replied quietly.

"Abby, you are right. I'm going to ring Kerry. I don't want to leave you"

Luka rang work and then returned to Abby's side.

"What did Kerry say?"

"I don't think she liked it, but I didn't give her a choice"

"Thank-you Luka. I honestly don't know where I would be without you"

"Sssssh, It's alright to be afraid Abby. Why don't you try and have a sleep?"

Abby lay her head down on Luka's lap and slowly drifted off to sleep while Luka stoked her hair. He watched her sleep, well, he could watch her for hours. They had both been through so much in their lives, but they were so meant to be.


	3. Worry

**Disclaimer - I own nothing.**

**Life's Never That Easy**

**Chapter 3 - Worry**

Over the next few days Abby found herself feeling normal again and began to put the bad memories behind her. Joe had come down with a bad cold soon after the abduction but was now back to good health. Luka on the other hand was suffering "the worst cold he had ever had".

"Ughhhh, If my nose does not stop running soon, I'm going to scream"

"Oh for goodness sake Luka, it's not that bad. Joe managed to get over it and he's a baby. You're not acting much older at the moment!" Abby looked and Luka and laughed as he began a sneezing fit.

"You wait until you catch it, then you'll want sympathy"

"I don't think so. I'm guessing if I come down with it, i'll still be getting up in the middle of the night to see to Joe, ironing, washing, cleaning,AND going to work" Abby argued.

"Hey! You make it sound like I do nothing!"

"You know I appreciate you Luka"

And Abby really did. He was the most sensitive, generous man. And he genuinely loved looking after Joe. He doted on him, and Abby. Abby had never felt so looked after. To think that they had been in a relationship before and what a disaster that had been. Abby didn't think she'd ever be able to forget those words. _"You're not that pretty, not that special" _or something to that effect. But she knew that they had been said in the heat of the moment, that Luka had been really mad, and underneath it all, she couldn't blame him. Abby had been miserable, she had been hard work, but her independance did not allow her to open her feelings to anyone else other than herself. _"I must have seemed so emotionless" _Abby thought to herself. But not anymore. Ever since she had found out about her pregnancy, it was like a light had been switched on. Everything slotted into place. Every day spent at the NICU willing her tiny son to live, had brought home what life meant to Abby. Life was for living and she was determined to make herself the best mother and wife for Joe and Luka.

"You seem hard in thought Abby" Luka broke through her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, just thinking about, well, nothing really. I'm just so happy Luka"

"Me too Abby. Are you nearly ready for work?"

"Yes, are you sure you'll be ok with Joe?"

"Abby, we'll be fine. Is he still asleep?"

"Yeah, he should be for another hour or so. His dinner is defrosting in the fridge, just needs his milk when he wakes up"

"No problem, you take care today, don't let them work you too hard"

"Well that's all dependant on patient numbers!"

"Abby, I mean it. You've hardly slept in the last few days"

"I'm fine Luka. I promise. I've got to go otherwise I'll get yelled at"

"Take care Abby"

Abby leaned over and gave Luka a kiss good-bye and left for work.

Nine hours into her shift and Abby was exhausted.

"You alright Abby? You look really tired" Chuny commented

"Yeah, I haven't slept much in the last few days what with Joe being ill and now Luka"

"Aren't men such wimps!" Chuny laughed.

"They sure are, but the worst thing is, I think i'm coming down with it, and I told Luka I wouldn't need sympathy"

"Oooh, bad move Abby, you should always make men look after you. I've got to get on, got three IV's to start"

"See you later!" Abby walked back to the admit desk and sat down in one of the chairs. Her head was thumping and she could feel her nose steadily becoming more and more blocked. She rested her head down on the desk and began to drift off.

"ABBY!" Weaver yelled about two minutes later. Abby jumped and looked up at the red headed chief glaring at her.

"What is Mr Grant still doing here, I thought you were discharging him two hours ago"

"Oh, I'm just waiting for some blood results"

"Well i'm sure if you look, they will have been back hours ago"

"Oh Kerry, would you calm down please. Do you realise exactly what my family has been through over the last week?" Abby answered, raising her voice.

"Abby, not here, not now"

"Oh, it's never a convenient time for you is it Kerry? I was abducted, AGAIN! I haven't slept for four days, I feel like crap and I don't need you on my back. Now if you'll excuse me i'm going to discharge my patient, who by the way, didn't mind waiting" Abby got up from the desk and marched up the corridor.

"Alright everybody, shows over, get back to work!" Kerry shouted to the crowd that had gathered round the desk. She knew Abby could be temperamental sometimes, but it was unlike Abby to show her emotions so openly in front of a busy ER. She made a mental note to speak to Luka when he was back at work.

Abby was so relieved when her shift was over. She handed her patients over to Pratt and practically ran out of the ER.

"Luka? I'm home" Abby called out when she got home. She could smell dinner cooking and wandered into the kitchen where Luka stood reading a cookery book.

"So this is what they call domestic bliss huh?" Abby said, raising her eyebrows at her husband.

"Abby! You scared me, I didn't hear you come in. Did you have a good shift?"

"It was probably one of the worst i've had. I'll have a quick shower and then tell you all about it"

"Are you ok? You look flushed"

"Oh, I think i've got your cold. You look better"

"Yes, much better. That's what a nice day at home will do for you"

Abby smiled and kissed Luka, then went and took a shower. Then she returned to the kitchen where Luka was dishing up dinner.

"Did Joe go down alright?"

"Yes, he was tired. I wore him out playing peek-a-boo!"

"I took a peek into his room just to see him. He's so peaceful when he's asleep"

"So, what happened today?"

"Oh, I had a run in with Kerry. Sometimes she can be so insensitive"

"That sounds like Kerry"

Abby relayed the story whilst picking at her food.

"What's the matter, don't you like it?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Luka, I just don't feel hungry. My head is pounding and I think I need to go to bed. I've got to work an early tomorrow"

"I thought you were off?"

"I was, but Morris is off sick and they need me to cover. Joe will have to go to daycare as we're both on"

"Well, I think you should see how you feel in the morning, you don't look well Abby"

"I'll be alright, i'll just take some tylenol. Besides, I don't want Kerry to think i'm avoiding her"

"Abby, you fell asleep at work..."

"Oh so you're on Kerry's side now are you?" Abby jumped at Luka before he could finish his sentance.

"Abby! Let me finish. You fell asleep at work, you haven't slept the last four nights, you're not eating, now you've got a cold. I think you need some proper time off"

"Look, we've got holiday at the end of the month, i'll relax then"

"That's if you're not hospitalised by then"

"Luka, don't be ridiculous, it's a cold"

"Or PTSD"

"Luka, I haven't got post tramatic stress disorder. Sure, what happened the other day was terrifying, but i'm ok, Joe's ok and i've got you. That's all I need to know. I promise you, i'm fine. Really. Now I need to go to bed, are you coming?"

Luka looked at Abby and he knew the conversation was over. But it didn't stop him from worrying.


End file.
